Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1887-02-09
Nearly Eighty Years Ago.

The Atlanta (Ga) Constitution was furnished
byR.S P.yne one of the surveyors, on the
Americus Preston and Lumpkin Railroad in
that State. q copy of the stanton (Va) Eagle
from which extracts were made accompanied
with remarks as follows:-
"The Constitution has been allowed to peruse
the columns of the Stanton Eagle, newspa-
per published at Staunton, Va, Friday, May
18th, 1908. 1t is neatly printed five column
folio, and was number 43 of volume l. Under
the heading Of the paper was the following
motto:
"HeIe shall the press the peoples rights main
tain,
Unawed by influence, or unbribed by gain:
Here patriot nth its glorious precepts draw,
Pledg'd to RELIGION, LIBERTY, AND LAW"
The paper was printed from long primer type
1t had Temple of the Muses." in which ap-
peared poem by Columbus ION Dusling.' In
the Temple of Hilarity'' were two witty para
graphs one of which was joke about the hon.
esty OF lawyers. A marriage in Georgia ana
one in Maryland were recorded under the head
line, Hall of Hymen." The Repository of
Death" contained notices of three deaths. On
the first page are printed, "By Authority" two
acts passed by the s'Tenth Congress OF the Uni
ted States, began and held at the City of Wash
ington, on the twenGy-sixth day of October, in
the year of our Lord, one thousand eight hun
bred and seven" The acts were signed by j.
B. Varnum, speaker Of the house of representa-
tiyes, and Geo. Clinton, viee-president of the
United States and president OF the senate. and
approved by Tn. Jefferson. There were nearly
two columns of Late and Important Foreign
Intelligence" which would now be considered
very much belated. In a communication from
New York under this heading. dated April %,
1t is stated that "late last night our boat reach
ed tow from the very fast sailing ship Ocean,
Captain Bunker, in twenty-four days from
Plymouth, England. By this arrival the edi-
tors of the Gazette have received London pa
pers to 18th of last month (nearly two months
before the Eagle received the news,) and now
give hasty sketch of their most important
contents" Below are some extracts from this
letter, which viii be found Interesting reading
matter:
On the 18th OF February the French got down
some heavy cannon and took possession of Fort
Scylla and made 1000 prisoners.
Russia has declared war against Sweden
Denmark and Prussia have also declared wSr
against Sweden.
"Bonaparte has created several princes,
dukes, barons, and knights-all the dignitaries
of the French empire have been raised to the
rank OF princes, and their Oldest sons are to be
dukes"
In another column the Eagle points with
pride to It's enterprise in giving Its readers for
eign me- VS. only two months old.
1t would seem that the Eagle was republican
in its politics as opposed to the federalists.
judging from the fact that 1t congratulates is
republican readers ION the prosperous issue
of the elections in Massachusetts, ann re-
joices that the VIRTUE. the PATRIOT
ISM, and the INTELLIGENCE of New En-
gland is superior to the arts of INTRIGUE and
CORRUPTION"
The particulars of a duel were given in its
local columns as matter of little Importance
The paper is clearly printed and remarkably
well preserved. The only difference TO be no.
ticed between it and the modern paper being
the absence of an editorial page and display
advertisements.